Pumps and Pumping; Notes on Selection, Construction, and Management

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1906 edition. Excerpt: ...either directly on to the pump shaft or worked through the medium of toothed gearing. Direct acting engines occupy little space, and are often convenient; but most of them consume a large amount of steam for the work done, the steam not being used expansively. For large pumps, and where great economy of fuel is necessary, compound and triple expansion engines with condensers have been used. Where gas is cheap, or the duty intermittent, gas engines are very useful as they can be started at any time without the delay of getting up steam. For irrigation purposes they are sometimes driven by a windmill or horse gear, and if mounted on wheels can be readily moved from place to place. Rotary Pumps.--These are very useful pumps, particularly to brewers, distillers, wine and oil producers, gas works, &c, as with a connecting hose, liquids can be rapidly pumped from one cask or part of a building to another. Rotary, or what may be termed revolving piston pumps, in contra-distinction to direct acting pumps, have the advantage of not changing the direction of the flow of the liquid pumped with each stroke of the pump. They can be run at a high speed, and having no complex valves or leather packed pistons, cannot choke or readily get out of order. An excellent rotary pump for steam or hand power is now constructed: the interior of pump consists briefly of five parts, four parts being roller valves arranged to revolve on their seats, thus equalising the wear and rendering the pump more water-tight. We may add that water leakage is a defect found in most rotary pumps. Another somewhat novel form of rotary pump is now in use and appears to give excellent results. In this pump, the periphery of the internal drum is divided into four spaces, the two...